Missouri Health Connection, formerly known as the Missouri Health Information Organization (MHIO), Missouri’s state-designated entity to oversee the development of a statewide health information exchange, announced after an extensive national bid process, the board’s unanimous decision to enter into contract negotiations with Cerner Corporation as the technical service provider for the project.

“Entering negotiations with Cerner brings us one step closer to creating the Missouri exchange that will improve public health and patient care, reduce costs, empower consumers and create jobs. We look forward to negotiations with Cerner and then getting to work on building a secure, integrated health system model that coordinates care across a currently fragmented system,” said Raul Recarey, president of Missouri Health Connection.

Missouri Health Connection has been awarded $13.8 million in federal funding to underwrite the planning and implementation process for Missouri’s statewide health information exchange (HIE) that will ensure patients, providers, physicians, hospitals and other health care organizations have access to critical medical record information in order to improve patient care and increase efficiency. The effort will also create more Missouri jobs; and, it will help ensure Missouri physicians, hospitals, and other providers qualify for additional incentives that could infuse nearly $400 million into the Missouri economy.

Missouri Health Connection is a public-private non-profit organization overseen by a board of directors including members from state government, private health care organizations, private practice physicians, professional organizations, and consumer advocacy groups.